6- Starting over… chapter six

Their meal completed, Walter returned to the garage pulling up to the bay door. Entering the man door combination he entered and raised the garage door to pull in then closed up. The timed light above the door allowed him to locate the safety lighting switch by the door. Switching it on, numerous tiny lights of different colors throughout the garage area went on, including a string along the stairs to the loft. Walter got his duffle out of the trunk and strolled through the place and went up the stairs to the loft. Looking back down to the first floor he decided to leave the lights on- they were reminiscent of the lights of working computer systems. Entering the den he flipped a switch by the doorway for lights. Recessed ceiling lights in the corners went on, separate lamps were strategically placed by the easy chairs for reading, and one on the desk. He put down his duffle, turning the desk lamp on and sat at the desk, opening drawers that contained his external hard drives, flash drives, and other things. He sat back and looked at the picture of him and Megan as children and the picture of them as adults between the archways. "Well, Megan, just us again." He then decided to set up the desktop unit in the morning. Picking up his duffle he went to the bedroom, turned on the bedside table lamp and went into the bathroom to look around and opened the duffle to put his toiletries in the cabinet over the sink, the soaps and shampoo on a shelf in the shower. Then went back to the bedroom and put the duffle on the chair and stripped down to boxers, pulled the covers down to stretch out in bed, reach over to turn off the light and stared at the ceiling …. until he dozed off.

Waking in the morning Walter experienced a moment of disorientation at the unfamiliar surroundings, then sat up looking around thinking Anna really did a nice job with the blue, green, and brass color scheme. He got up going to the bathroom to take a shower. Drying off he pulled on boxers and went to the kitchen to get coffee going. Opening the fridge he realized he would have to stock up some kitchen and bathroom supplies so a trip to the grocery store was needed in the next day or two. Sure have plenty of storage space compared to the previous kitchen and bath so can stock up a month worth at a time so no more weekly runs, which is a good thing. He then went to the den took the laptop out of its case, opened it and put it on the corner of the desk. He glanced at the picture of Megan then walked over to look out the arched openings overlooking the first floor tiled area with easy chairs arranged with tables and the whiteboards against the wall. While standing there, the laptop signaled new mail so he returned to the desk to check.

Walter- will be in the office at nine- times of operation were not discussed- one of many things needing to be decided on. Will get a pot of coffee going first thing if you decide to stop in. Gina

Walter- how you like waking up in your 'garage'? Once you get your computers set up, have the next data storage site needing your security when you are ready, let me know. Take a few days and enjoy the place. Richard

Walter- after spending time in the new digs, if you find anything nonfunctional, needing to be changed, or whatever let me know and it will be taken care of. Dean

Sitting back at the desk he replied to each:

Gina- you are office manager- you are designing the business model, so pick your own hours. May stop in for coffee before the day is out. Walter

Richard- setting up desktop unit this morning, should be ready before noon. Send info and whom to contact at data center. Should be ready to check it out in the next day or two. Walter

Dean- so far so good, no problems, settling in well. Walter

He then got up and went to the bedroom to get dressed and start getting the desktop unit up and running. Pulling cables from the cellar to the office area since he is not hooked up there anymore, then running them to the loft area and to the desk was a time consuming task putting them so not noticeable and able to be tampered with. Once the job was done he was able to power up the desktop unit and connect to his equipment in the cellar. Same time he pulled the cables for the sound system to run all cables together. Once he was back in communication with his full system he felt like he was really at home again. Running cables to sound system throughout the loft was easily done. Once completed and checking over his servers and bringing up the music file he scrolled to Mendelsohn, chose the violin concerto in E minor to play softly and went through the loft from den to bath to bedroom, came back to the den to sit at the desk and sat back satisfied. The WiFi for the laptop was efficient throughout the loft area. After the couple hours needed to get everything up and running, he decided he was back in business and ready to go. Pulling the laptop closer to use, he messaged Richard.

Richard- all now functional, send info and whom to contact for next data center job. Walter

Walter had finished his pot of coffee while working so decided to see Gina and fill up as she may not drink a full pot herself. Going downstairs, empty cup in hand he knocked on the door and entered the kitchen to continue through to the office area.

"Good afternoon, Walter. Was wondering if I was going to see you at all. Saw the computer and sound system cables disappear through the wall so figured you were working hard. How you like the loft?"

"A bit disorientating when awakening, but settling in well. Thought I would see if you had any coffee available and how you are doing your first day. Feel like the master of your ship being the office manager?"

"Yeah, right. I spent an hour deciding where to put the office plant I brought in." Gina laughed pointing to the potted fern on the corner of her desk. "Pull up a chair and tell me about your day so far. And have some coffee. I made a pot, but really limit my intake so have as much as you want or it will be wasted."

Walter got up to get some coffee then came back to sit down.

"You do realize my only customer is Richard and his data center security issues, and he contacts me directly."

"I discussed that with Richard last evening before you joined us for dinner. He is spreading the word about your security systems and there will inquiries. Going to have some business cards made and I am looking into advertising in trade magazines, so it is just a matter of time. Rome was not built in a day, right?"

Walter chuckled. "I take it Richard is also contacting you on the jobs he wants done? I have been working off my on-line bank account so not even aware of his deposits at this point- you doing the bookkeeping? Hope so as I have not been keeping track on the data centers completed so far."

"Yes, all is being properly kept track of, invoices made, funds deposited into a separate business account, ledgers attended to. We do NOT want the state or IRS breathing down our necks. Richard is VERY cognizant of doing business above board and legal. He does not enjoy paying taxes, but knows he HAS to in order to do business here." Gina said sitting back in her chair. "If you don't mind my asking, why did you leave when the math majors popped that problem at you? You answered it fast enough, and obviously they had to use a calculator to get the answer, not three minutes of formula written on paper."

Walter smiled, "had been a very long time since I had to prove my competency especially in the field of mathematics. Like someone asking me if I knew how to use a computer or drive a car. And they were obviously trying to make me look incompetent and doing it publicly. There are many reasons why I do not do well with groups and socializing. Have little patience with inane conversation, do not think of other peoples 'feelings' so may upset their sensitivities, but I have learned to keep my mouth shut…. most of the time, anyway. And I take great exception to anyone who thinks I am stupid." Looking at Gina, "what do you think the conversations between the math majors would have been had I not passed their test? And failing I am sure they would have heralded my failure far and wide. Han's especially needs to work on his social skills. Having traveled it in my youth, I can see the road he is going down with his attitude. If you know him, talk to him or he will have problems in future, no matter how gifted he may be…. he does not have genius to fall back on. I have a number of fields I am proficient in, he may not, therefore one failure may doom him."

Gina laughed. "Yes, I know Hans well. Big, blonde German with a five pound chip on his shoulder mostly enamored with himself and his self-perceived superiority. He may think he is in competition with you as he is going right into the space division once graduated."

Walter leaned back and took a sip of his coffee. "Isn't the first and won't be the last to have that attitude, I just do not understand why. I have my abilities, they have theirs, why compete?"

Gina looked at him with a frown. "Do you really NOT see why? You are very well known, the exploits of Scorpion that were in the news over the years, not to mention the likes of Richard Elias working hard to get you recruited. Let's face it, anyone who competes with you and wins will have made their name."

"As far as the Scorpion exploits, the entire Scorpion team was involved to come to favorable outcomes. Sylvester with his probabilities on actions taken, Happy with her engineering for needed equipment, Toby understanding how those involved would react and Paige with her humanity keeping people calm and focused." Walter rose. "That is all ended, over and done. Keep it to math, science, and computers, there is only me, now. The team is gone and I do not need to be reminded." He left to return to the loft.

At the desk, he checked mail.

Walter- contact Bob Martin at the Fullerton data center. Richard

Walter sent a message to Bob Martin that he would be at the facility to scan the system in the morning, then would have a program to install within a few days. Within minutes there was a reply:

Mr. O'Brien- anytime, at your convenience. Richard has informed all data centers of security upgrades throughout the enterprise, so prepared. Bob Martin

Walter decided to go scan the facility in the morning so went up to the roof to scope out what was done there by the remodelers. Reaching the roof he saw the trellis with the two potted rose plants and the built in bench seating. Walking to the wall, he leaned on it to look down to the alley to see Gina getting into her car. Guess the workday is done for her, too. Seeing the cloud bank moving on-shore Walter went back inside. He wandered around the downstairs then decided to walk to Kovelski's to get something to eat.

"Walter, nice seeing you again," The waitress said. "How come you all come in separately now-a-days? Happy was in earlier today."

"We no longer work together, just me in the garage, now," Walter said. "I will have a cheeseburger and coffee, thanks."

"Sorry to hear that, coffee and cheeseburger coming up." She put in his order and returned with a large cup and poured fresh coffee for him.

"Thanks," Walter said pulling his phone out of his pocket to scan some tech sites for what is new.

"Mr. O'Brien, good evening."

Walter looked up at the woman standing by his table. "Sarah Clements. I almost did not recognize you without the green hair. Also did not know you were in this area to be frequenting this diner."

She chuckled. "The green hair and flashy Jag are for the young techies we deal with. To be honest, you were a breath of fresh air that we really did not have to play the role as it were. May I join you or are you expecting company?"

"Please, have a seat. Just having a burger, care for anything?"

"Just coffee when she comes around again. We, my brother and I, set up shop here in LA about a year ago. Our start-up has done well and we found more favorable offices a few blocks from here. The old place was draughty and leaked. Even paying you the award and for your security software we have done well enough to 'move on up to the east side' as the song goes."

"Congratulations. Always good to hear of a start-up that has done well. Have you had any problems with the program you got from me? I like to know how things fare once in use. Where are you from as you do not sound like a native Californian."

"Wow, you have a good ear. Arizona is home. Been here in the LA area for college and now business. Been over here long enough I thought Seth and I could pass for natives…. to be honest you are the first to notice, or say something. What did I say to give it away?"

The waitress came by with Walter's cheeseburger bringing a cup of coffee for Sarah and freshening Walter's.

"Just a good ear, I guess. Probably should not have asked- people get offended over so many trivial things these days. When I first came to America my Irish accent was quite pronounced and I was not taken seriously due to it so went out of my way to adopt American English and lose the accent. Once in a blue moon I may inadvertently let the Gaelic erupt, but I have to be exceedingly angry and that has not happened in a decade or so."

"I do not detect any accent at all- how long have you been in the States?"

"Since the age of fourteen, so certainly long enough to sound American, especially since I worked at it. So many people, especially here on the coast are from elsewhere, any accent is pretty much ignored unless it makes understanding what is being said difficult."

"How long have you been in business?"

"To be honest- this iteration- a few weeks. Don't even have business cards made up, yet," Walter said with a laugh finishing his burger. "I'll get your coffee. Have a pleasant evening, Sarah." Walter rose and went to the register, paid the tab and left. He got less than a block when Sarah in a MGB with the top down pulled along the curb and offered him a ride.

Walter stopped. "Thank you," he said getting in. "You make it a habit of picking men up?"

Sarah laughed. "Not really… unless they are handsome, so you fit the bill. You have someone waiting for you, or would you like to take a ride around town on such a nice night?"

"No one awaits; was just going to hit the computer for a while." Walter said. "A drive on such a nice night would be excellent."

Sarah glanced over at Walter, "to be honest, no, not in the habit of picking up guys like this, but the whole time Seth and I have been in LA we have been tied up with classes- we both had to work to get through college- then doing the start-up so never really had time or inclination to socialize with the LA crowd. Don't really know many people for all the time here and those we do know are pretty much just business associates. Neither of us fit into the airhead, 'Valley girl' and surfer dude scene of LA, and it is nice to shed the green hair and relax and actually talk with a person."

"Are you also into security software programming? We in competition?"

Sarah laughed. "No, we do gaming but we need the security to ensure we are not robbed of our programming. It is a cut throat field to put it mildly. I am thinking of going into a separate line from Seth. There is a lot of money to be made in educational games for kids, along the same line as books for kids- whole vast customer base not really deeply tapped into yet. To be honest, I would not try to compete with you in that line no matter how good I think my programming is."

"So what is Seth into gaming wise?"

"Ha, the usual blood, gore and guts warfare. Starts with caveman fighting over a mammoth kill and works its way through gladiators, then knights, on and on through the ages to end up in star wars and intergalactic aliens. You into such gaming?"

"No. Did some back in the day, Proton Arnold and the like, so showing my age, but gave it up for real world security, the actual warfare against hackers and the European big business hacker farms. Have seen too many people over the years have their businesses infiltrated, scientific data compromised, and what is done in the banking and financial sector is horrendous. Individuals have lost everything, they and their families impacted."

"That is funny. You saying 'back in the day', and 'showing your age' you sound like an ancient but can't be more than a thirty-something. Anyway, that is why we did the award to ensure our security was good enough. Three days of focused work to hack that you said. Think many real hackers would go down that road for that long?"

"Some might, I would think. If they were that adamant to break through. And thirty something is right."

"How long have you been doing your security and has anyone broken through yours?"

"Many years and not as yet. However, I fully realize it will happen in time so I ensure everyone who has my security monitors it and lets me know if there are any incursions so I can make the necessary modifications before data is lost. That goes for you and Seth, by the way as I said."

Pulling up to the front of the garage, Sarah put the MGB in neutral and turned to Walter. "Well, here we are, you did say you lived here as well as worked here."

"Thank you for the drive and conversation," Walter said getting out of the car.

"Not going to invite me in for a drink?"

Walter chuckled. "All I have is water, tea, or coffee, not the usual fare expected when inviting late night guests. Have a nice night, Sarah, I have work to do."

"Good night, Walter." She put the car in gear and took off.